The way of the Pichon.

My very own Pichon. Created by Ofir Hirsh under the Pichon identity in 2014. Oil on canvas, 50 H x 58 W cm / 22.8 H x 19.7 W in

For a short while, towards the end of 2014, I named myself Pichon, after the nick name of my son Lavie. I have always thought that the word Pichon is inherently funny. Pichon is Spanish for: squab, chick, pigeon, darling, honey, beginner, or novice. However, in the rural Dominican Republic, Pichon also means a vagabond, or more precisely a wandering homeless. The Pichones I met in the Samana Peninsula usually walked barefoot through the mountains and villages, with a yuta sack over their shoulder, usually containing some water and food, and everything they found on their way. Most Pichones grew some kind of a beard, but nowadays who doesn’t? Some nasty kids used to tease them as they passed by, and in general the Pichones were considered by the ‘normal’ community members crazy or mentally unstable. After long conversations with a few remarkable Pichones, my conclusion was that they are entirely sane, and that each Pichon has a fascinating story to tell.